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style shopping: wine story

Because of their taste and the immediate dizziness that I get from them, I’m not a fan of alcoholic beverages except for the sweet and highly diluted mimosa (with lots of orange juice). In spite of that, I have always been intrigued by the culture behind wine. You can count me as a wine ignorant until I got the assignment to cover Wine Story, a new wine shop in Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Established by the same company behind Healthy Options, Wine Story is definitely not your usual wine store. Unlike other shops that simply sell wines, Wine Story is like your one-stop shop for everything about wine. On top of their wide selection of wines, they also carry crystal wares, wine books and tasting diaries for those wine aficionados. 

What primarily sets it apart from other stores is that it only carries high-end wines with Bordeaux being their specialty. Compared to common table wines, I was told that the high-end ones boast of a more complex taste. Their bottles are displayed like how one would display diamond jewelries—showcased in a lighted glass case (bottom photo) which, in their case, also functions as a cellar.

Because their bottles are pricey (if I remember correctly, the least expensive bottle is at Php 5,000), they allow their clients to “preview” some of their selections before settling on a bottle. Their 32-bottle enomatic machines or automatic wine dispensers (top photo) make wine tasting look and feel so high-tech. A small LED panel (above) displays the characteristic of each wine and the prices per glass. For wine enthusiasts and wine newbies alike, this feature also makes it possible to enjoy different wines without spending a fortune.

To complement its high-end identity, the store’s interior, designed by interior designer Nicky Magcase, features top of the line materials and finishes to give the brand an equally luxurious image. -ardel